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Friday, June 10, 2011

There are Yurts in Heaven

The yurt, a 'modern' adaptation of the Mongolian ger, is a fabric skinned structure, round in shape, with a conical roof. its skeleton is comprised of overlapping slats of strong wood constructed and operated much like a folding baby gate.

The walls and ceiling are often double thickness, with a heavy layer of insulation between, and they are available with fully operable glass windows and framed doors.

14 comments:

We saw a yurt at a home show in Vancouver once. Pretty dandy! I could live in one of those. Mingus was happy with is snuggles and says you be sure to lovey up Maestro special for him. Tummy rubs ... ahhhhhhh.

Welcome to the summer over there. . . I understand the Buddhist inspired YURTS adaptations’ are proving very popular in parks in both Canada and the USA for a variety of applications including even school rooms? Can you stay in one in a park ? Your picture looks very inviting – where was it taken and what is their use? Best wishes

When I was a kid I loved going off on my own through a huge area behind our house in southern Ontario where there were meadows, old orchards, ponds and streams. Naturally, I had no idea at the time it was land owned by the provincial government held for future highway and property development. I designed a house for my favorite spot where I intended to live once I was old enough. It wasn't until many years later I discovered I'd designed a yurt.

cicero - tummy rub delivered on his very clean, freshly bathed tummy. he's grinning from ear to ear. i'm thinking a yurt on the shore of a lake somewhere, with my kayak tied up nearby, and friends living close enough for society, distant enough for solitude. wouldn't a whole community of yurts be great?!

linda - i first learned of yurts from the Mother Earth News almost 40 years ago, and have been in love with them ever since. yes, there are 6 yurts of varying sizes here, all set up on a huge cedar deck. while they're expensive for 'tents', they're very economical when compared to the cost of 'permanent' structures, with none of the permit, etc. requirements. this is a fiber artist's studio, with a gallery, classrooms, etc. located on the Sunshine Coast of B.C. i think you'd love it.

claire - yes, a caravan would be more versatile and portable. i've thought of that too.... just fasten my kayak on top and load up my sound gear and instruments and become an itinerant musician.... i can dream.... or a lovely little yurt set up permanently on the shores of a lake or the sea.

lindsay - these particular yurts are meant to be semi-permanent, so it's a pretty big deal putting them up and all..... so not ideal for travel or frequent relocation. but many people stay in camping villages for months on end, or even year round, so i see no reason you couldn't do the same thing with a yurt... this photo is taken on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, not far from the town of Sechelt. it's a fibre arts studio / art gallery, where classes and retreats are held, weavers and spinners meet, and items are sold in the gallery.

su - i'm dreaming of a yurt beside a large body of water, far from the beaten path.... subliminal desire for escape from overwork and stress, no doubt. with the devastation of the fire in the town of Slave Lake, on the shores of beautiful Lesser Slave Lake a couple of hours away from here, i'm thinking there may be some reasonably priced lake front property for sale in the near future.... is that mercenary? My dream yurt is permanent, made of stone on the inside for thermal mass, and insulated on the exterior wall. there's a big stone fireplace or wood burning stove in the centre, with comfy armchairs for visiting friends. (or neighbors) i'm sure there's room for a perch for Crow as well, possibly between the harp and the loom.

sera - it gets better (or worse?) .... the Mongols used to pack their family ger up on the back of a yak (after they'd milked said yak) and move on pretty regularly. i get the feeling they wouldn't be a big hit in france. have you got a new 'toon up? i'm on my way over!!

the mongols sound scary. i think they conquered most of the known world at their peak. i read they would surround a castle and start digging. it was a race between starving them out or burrowing into the castle. if the occupants didn't surrender, they were slaughtered.can you imagine sending a messenger to the next castle in the hope of assistance?"help. we're surrounded by yurts and yaks."

sera - "help. we're surrounded by yurts and yaks." (i'm hooting with laughter) wasn't Atilla the Hun from somewhere around there? yep, pretty fierce bunch. don't mess with 'em. but they had the whole 'mobile living' thing down long before it was fashionable, and i love the idea of a little round house that i can take with me if i decide i don't like the scenery or the neighbors.

su - sun and sand are in my fantasies too these days. we're getting much needed rain in large quantities (for a couple of weeks now). it's lovely and green and the air is rich enough to chew. my normally straight hair is even curling!!! the thirsty earth is still drinking in the moisture, so i try not to whine. when a horde of mosquitos the size of our friend Crow tries to carry me off for dinner, though, i begin to think we might be near our rain quota, and the sniveling begins.

The downside of living by the lake where I grew up was the presence of mosquitos. Sometimes in summer I'd wish my bed was under a net those nights when I could here one or two in my room that disappeared when I turned the light on. Nasty little buggers.

The main old time yurt inhabitant I know about was Genghis Kahn who moved so often he managed to father a large percentage of Asia. We have a dvd of a film called 'Mongol' that tells the story of his early life when he was known as Temujin. It's pretty wild and very beautiful. In spite of having conquered the largest empire ever seen he refused to live in a house (or palace).

su - i think i read somewhere that genghis khan had a small city of yurts on wheels. his was over 30 feet in diameter. the original holiday trailer. we've had nearly a month of rain - finally broke this week, and the mosquitoes are fierce.

sera - life is a stage ;0) not fond of curtains myself. it's one of the reasons i painted my windows last winter.

About Me

I'm a musician, living in northern Alberta, Canada. Suddenly and Unexpectedly unemployed, I'm re-thinking my lifestyle and priorities, looking forward to a simpler life focused on the things that enrich it.